Therapists in La Selva Beach, CA

I believe healing is possible, and there is a path back to your truest self. The pain of life’s stressful, traumatic, and mental or physical health experiences might nudge you to mask, lash out, shut down, or use other creative strategies to survive. I’ve found that cultivating self-compassion and curious attention toward painful experience gradually gives way to spaciousness, growth, and peace. I welcome adults, teens, and children from all walks of life, including LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodiverse (Autism, ADHD, Highly Sensitive, etc) identities.

I believe healing happens with a holistic integration of mind, body, and spirit. I support each person to express their authentic selves and needs, through several therapeutic modalities, including Expressive Arts, Somatic Techniques, CBT, EMDR, Parts Work, and Mindfulness. I am also trained in Brief Therapy methods for those who want support with a specific challenge or prefer therapy in small pieces at a time. My style is directive- I give feedback, ask questions to evoke clarity of where/how current maladaptive reactions/patterns came from, utilize reflective and active listening, and give weekly homework assignments.

As I see it, the primary role of a counselor is to serve as a mirror to help reveal what the client hasn't yet been able to see-especially those patterns of relating to self, others, and the environment that might be causing suffering. At the same time, the counselor is there to reflect, affirm, and strengthen the client's unique gifts and talents.One of the biggest impediments to healing, growth, and creativity is shame. To help clients move through this debilitating emotion, I use a combination of mindfulness, body awareness, and other healing modalities.

As a holistic somatic therapist, I hold a non-pathologizing perspective, emphasizing your innate wholeness and capacity for healing. My approach to therapy is direct, spontaneous and playful, focusing on experiential healing. Rooted in a psycho-social context threaded with compassion and mindfulness, I focus on supporting adult individuals and couples in working through trauma, anxiety, shame, grief, co-dependence, and ADHD patterns to achieve a sense of secure connection both internally and externally. Through emphasizing felt sense resources, I can help you gain insight into the intricate dynamics of your process and behaviors.

Do you find yourself experiencing the same recurring intrusive thoughts? Reliving disturbing memories day after day? Having recurring nightmares? Withdrawing from life and others and increasing your isolation from the world? Are you struggling with Performance Anxiety or communication challenges at work, school or in relationships? If so, you may be suffering from PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Untreated, these symptoms can worsen over time. If you find you are struggling with symptoms of PTSD, Anxiety, Depressed Mood, Phobias, Addictions, Identity or Spiritual Emergency I am here to help.

With over 25 years of working with adolescents and adults, my therapy style is authentic, empowering, strength based, compassionate, creative and fun. I am particularly skilled in working with trauma, managing strong emotions, and living with ADHD, Autism or Learning Disabilities. I enjoy supporting those looking for more purpose, self understanding, direction, peace, creativity or perspective. I have a great deal of experience working in multicultural and LGBTQ+ supportive contexts. I feel especially inspired by working with young adults because finding one’s own way in life is hard, exciting and full of possibilities.

My belief is everything is interconnected. When we hurt in one area of our lives, often times the other areas hurt with it. As simple as it may sound, sometimes feeling our feelings can be hard work. Truly understanding and being honest with authentic selves can be challenging and sometimes scary. No one should have to do this alone. Together, we can deeply listen and nurture your authentic self to help you heal and grow. We are not just talking together, we are experiencing. To learn more, visit my website at: nakaimatherapy.com

Are you here because you're having a "dark night of the soul" and feeling hopeless? Or do you want to change a relationship pattern that keeps repeating no matter how much you try? Perhaps you want to transform your low self-esteem and FINALLY believe in yourself...You know that something has to change, but what and how? You have most likely thought yourself in circles around the problem, but you cannot think your way out of this one. Does all that thinking send you spiraling out and anxious, your inner-critic having a field day?

Thank you for visiting me. I know preparing yourself to find a therapist that you feel comfortable with and someone you can trust is not easy. It takes a lot of courage. If you’ve gotten to this point of being ready to speak with someone new, you’re doing a great job. I consider the therapeutic relationship as one of the most important factors for healing. I prioritize making my clients feel at ease and understood. My main goals in our work together will be to always have hope that everything is healable and to always treat you and your journey with the upmost respect and compassion.

Feelings and thoughts, at times, may be difficult to manage. Anxiety, depression, painful entanglements, behavioral issues, and the lingering effects of damaging experiences can exhaust us. They may also interfere with relationships and affect behaviors. Finding meaning in difficult emotions and life events can be very helpful. My hope is to provide understanding and insight that creates a safe relationship and develops a sensible model for people to discover potentially destructive patterns, what really matters to them, and how one can live a more creative, flexible, and full life.

If you find yourself struggling in life to feel whole, happy, at ease with yourself and being in the world, or feel frustrated with a lack of intimacy in your relationships, I can help you. It is important when searching for a therapist that you feel an honest connection. I give a free 30-minute consultation to help you decide if working with me is a match. I have trained in trauma recovery, somatic work, psychodynamic, cognitive, mindfulness, bioenergetic analysis. My focus has been working with individuals around healing from PTSD, anxiety, eating disorders, bi-polar, and marital relationship issues.

We collaborate together, targeting difficulties and utilizing personal strengths to support your vision and growth. Examples: parenting the child you have, changing repetitive, downward spirals in intimate relationships, taking on anxiety w/new strategies, setting boundaries and making connections, experimenting with new approaches to old problems. My approach is tailored to your needs, guided by my experience. Together we track progress. In practice since 1979, I see all ages and most problems. I enjoy long-term depth psychotherapy as well as short-term problem solving therapy. I work with parents, couples, families and individuals and consult for psychotherapists.

I work with Individuals and Couples developing better skills for communication, coping with stress and life transitions, and relationship building skills. I offer deeply attentive and compassionate Therapy that doesn't shy away from hard conversations and is culturally responsive. I am active in your sessions, asking thoughtful questions, observing strengths and progress, and checking in. I use an eclectic mix of Attachment Theory, Somatic Therapies, Gottman, and RLT. I help people reconnect with their inner knowing to become their best selves. I work well with Couples, LGBTQ Clients, and Teens.

Dear potential Client, Congratulations on making it this far! Choosing therapy is difficult and even more is taking steps to actually meet with a therapist. I have made this journey myself and found lots of reasons to procrastinate making "the call". If you choose to move forward and contact me, I am happy to consult with you about what you're looking for and how I can support you.

I am Maria Montano, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California with 20 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & motivation, self-esteem, and confidence. I believe that you are the expert on your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

You may feel lost, but you are not alone. We all experience suffering as a part of the human condition, yet sometimes our symptoms of stress, despair, worry, or self-criticism stand in the way of living the life that we want. If you find yourself troubled by a particular life problem or psychological condition, or generally lacking a sense of vitality and purpose, working with a clinician can help you reconnect with yourself and your strengths. Therapy often helps us to make useful connections between our actions, our thinking, our emotional reality, and patterns in relationships that we have developed over years.

I coach entrepreneurs, writers, and job-seekers to design and achieve goals that lead them to their most extraordinary lives. Whether you are launching a book or business, or learning to succeed with ADHD, big dreams can also be overwhelming. We start with identifying what matters most to you, so you can make decisions that will get you where you really want to go. You want an exceptional life, and you need clarity to make good decisions and set exciting goals that inspire you.

I am not your run of the mill therapist. Oh sure, I listen well and am very compassionate and calm. But I just don't sit there and ask you how you feel. I do care about your feelings but I am more curious about your experience and how we can increase your awareness so that you can make helpful and inspired choices. As you can imagine I help people deal with any issue you can possibly think of- from depression to life transitions to the loss of a loved one or trauma.

My practice welcomes individuals, couples, teens and families from all backgrounds, cultures, and life stages. Whether you're grappling with anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, professional stress, chronic illness, or the complexities of neurodiversity, I provide a safe and supportive space for exploration, curiosity and growth. I have a particular affinity for working with creative minds, highly sensitive souls, and those who dance to the beat of their own drum.